NEW ZEALAND'S CONTINGENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1900, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND'S CONTINGENTS.

FAREWELLING THE THIRD. A GREAT DEMONSTRATION. CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. About 20,000 people assembled at Hagley Park on Saturday morning when the members of the third contingent paraded. The streets during the subsequent march to the station were crowded with spectators, and the men of the third contingent were given a rousing send off. At the parade at Hagley Park the formal farewell of the people of Christchurch was tendered the men. among- those, present being the Governor, the Premier, and the Hons. Hall-Jones and W. C. Walker. His Excellency the Governor in tendering the colony's farewell to the contingent after touching on the welcome news just received of the relief of Kimberley said they felt the utmost pride when they saw the flower of the land ready to leave their homes and cross the seas in order to vindicate the honour of England, and champion the cause of their fellow subjects in the Transvaal. They sympathised with those who had to part with dear ones, but they must uphold their glorious traditions at any personal sacrifice, even of their dearest and best. The generous (*.ithusiasm which had equipped that Third Contingent was beyond all praise, and proved that the old British spirit was still present, and as long as that animated them England had nothing to fear. ' , The Premier said he felt proud of New Zealand soldiers, and of the vast Empire to which they all belonged. He pointed out that from no other part of Her Majesty's domin-; ions had a contingent been sent with-! out cost to the colony or Imperial Government. It was one of two things, and they must not forget, it. It was a question of two evils, war or dishonour. They must never suffer dishonour. It had never been con-! neeted with their race, and it must . not be in connection with this question. He prayed God to speed the contingent on its way, and trusted they would follow the example of other colonial contingents now at the front. On arrival by train at Lyttelton the men were marched to the- Drillshed where they were entertained at lunch by the residents of Lyttelton. : Later when the men were drawn up on the wharf preparatory to embarking and the final speeches were made it is estimated that there were close on thirty thousand people present who crowded every position of vantage in the vicinity. The Knight Templar cast off. from the wharf at five o'clock and steamed slowly away. H.M.s. Tauranga saluted, all the ships in the harbour ringing their bells. The Knight Templar was escorted to the Heads by the steamers in the port, which were densely packed •with Sightseers. The troopship, as announced by the Premier, after going to the Heads, returned to the stream to allow the last details of fitting up to be carried out. CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The visiting volunteer officers were entertained by the local officers on Saturday night. The troopship Knight Templar left the Heads for Al"bany at 7.30 last night. On Sunday morning a message was received from the Knight Templar stating that the Rough Riders' were disappointed at finding that there was no musical instrument on board. Mr G. G. Stead was comunica.ted with by telephone, and he at once promised to rectify the omission. The time was short, aS 'the steamer was to sail in the afternoon. Mrs Stead was, however, equal to the occasion and decided to send the piano from her own house as a present to the men. The message was only received in Christchurch at 11 .a.m., and by the 1.30 Sunday afternoon train the piano was sent by rail to Lyttelton. The troopers, who greatly appreciated the gift, made good use of the piano during the afternoon and evening. The main train conveying the military to Lyttelton on Sunday consisted of over 50 carriages, and contained over 2500 people. The quantity of oats shipped on board the troopship.Knight Templar was 19,875 sacks. For Saturday's demonstration 30,000 people went through from Christchurch to Lyttelton by train. The gossip of the city to-day-is wholly taken up by the splendid send-off the Rough Riders received on Saturday. . When early in January Mr G. G. Stead advocated each province providing and equipping by public subscription a troop of light horse, or rough riders, for South Africa, few, if any, besides the proposer, imagined that so fine a body as the 250 men shipped in the Knight Templar could be despatched within fopr weeks, and that 300 additional men would be ready to follow in a .month. WELLINGTON, this day. The Mayor's Patriotic Fund amounts to £5942, and the More Men Fund to *£3647.